Needs & Wraparound

• Practice Patterns: How it Happens in Wraparound– Named facilitator looks for needs as they complete

the strengths “chats”– Needs statements brought together as a team– Family confirms accuracy or not– Prioritized as most important as a team, with family

having primary say

Needs Statements

• What is needed to reach Vision?• Often represents barriers to the Vision• Needs help with . . . • Answer to the question - “why” (underlying need)• Not problems or deficits• Not Services • Written in a concise, brief manner (do not combine

several needs together)

• On average, 3 active need statements at a time

Before Needs Statements Facilitator must first have:

• Created time and space to really listen• Written the “new story”• Established the family vision• Have a sense of what a job well done would

look like to the family

The Power of Reframing:

• Turning stumbling blocks into stepping stones

Reframing is not the process of developing excuses for harmful or illegal conduct

Reframing Exercise

Problem Statement

1) Child runs away

2) Child is assaultive

3) Family is resistive to services

4) Family is dysfunctional

5) Child can not form relationships

Possible Need Potential Reframe

Understanding Needs

• Leads to real help• Builds trust and acceptance• Leads to shared understanding• Helps the family do it on their own sooner

Problems vs. NeedsA problem labels the issue

but gives us no direction on how to help!

1) Child is ADHD

2) Parent has AODA issues

3) Family is always in crisis

A need lets us know what drives the person to present with an issue and provides us with information on how to deliver real help.

1) Sammy needs help focusing on his school work

2) Tanya deserves to be loved by someone she can trust

3) The Jones family wants help resolving conflict with local police

Needs & Individualized Service Planning

• Focus on the “why” of a need not the “how” of it– Needs to know that others see him as okay even when he

makes mistakes on homework rather than he needs to complete his homework

• Use descriptive terms– To learn, To know, To experience, To feel, To see, To

have, To be

• Deal with the “big” stuff– Families deserve to know their teams are dealing with

their larger challenges

Goals and Needs are DifferentGoals and Needs are Different

• Need– Is something I can imagine the

person saying if they could• “I need help getting a life to be

sober for”

– Will address compelling reason for the person• “I need to do this so I can get that”

– Addresses needing “from”• More of a compelling purpose

• Goal– Is something I can

imagine for someone else• “You need to get into

treatment”

– May address system or adult mandates• “You need to do this”

– Addresses needing “to”• More of a command

Services & Needs are DifferentServices & Needs are Different

• Need– Defines why do the action– Unifying concept that cuts

across all three levels of service

– Changes infrequently until reports are “met need”

• Service– Defines the action– Three levels

• Existing service• Intervention• Support

– Frequent changes based on new information

Sample Need: “I need to stop using drugs”

Identify at least ten underlying reasons for this statement

Exploring Unmet Needs as the Basis for Behavior

Exploring Unmet Needs as the Basis for Behavior

1.Describe the Behavior

2.What Happened Next?3. Why would anyone need to act that way?

4. Unmet Need

Tips for Using the Needs “Egg”

• Consider the facts of the “last time”– When, Where, What, Who

• What was next & how did others respond?

• Brainstorm “10” reasons to explain why anyone would need to act like that

• Apply what you know about the history & context to the needs statement

Challenges with Needs & Community Based Services

• BIG behaviors cause us to overlook need & react to behavior

• Finding words to communicate unmet need• Helping families find a language to communicate

the most important unmet need at the earliest possible moment

• Increasing the precision of “fit” between what you get and what you need

• Overburdening families with the responsibility for “voicing” needs

• Mistaking service for need• Mistaking goals for need

“Needs” Talk in Team Meetings

• When a team member disguises a service as a need, i.e.– He needs a special education placement or– The family needs counseling

• Ask the team member– What do you hope will be accomplished through

this? – Why do you think this is important to the person?– How will you know when it’s been effective?

Creating Benchmarks

• How will the team know they are getting closer to meeting the need

• What behavior will be observed• What can be measured to help us know

we are getting closer?

Strategies

• Builds on Strengths/Be creative• Designed to Meet Needs• Use as many Natural Supports as Possible• Utilize Whole Team• Strategies may contain a service• Be Specific Who - What - How Often• Modify in Response to Changes or Progress

Tips for Creative Solutions

• Start with reviewing functional strengths list

• Review the needs statements – Are they really representative of the underlying need?

• Return to the vision when you’re feeling lost• Brainstorm at least ten options for each

need

Strength Based PlanningStrengths, Assets,

PreferencesDesired Outcomes

Individual & Family Needs (Not Services)

Potential Resource People

Action Plan based on functional Strengths & Resources

A Well Written Plan

• Is written in the language of the family• Is usable by the family• Creates a road map for the family’s life to

improve• Make sense and is clear to the whole team• Reflects hope for the future• Addresses the youth and family’s success

beyond their time enrolled in a program

Much of the content of this presentation was provided to Wraparound Milwaukee by Pat Miles, National Training Consultant

Contact: Pat Miles @patmiles.com

Presented by:

Mary Jo Meyers

Deputy Director

Wraparound Milwaukee

Contact:

E: consultmjm@hotmail.com

P: 414.257.7521